Ginobili says he will likely keep playing

Writing a first-person commentary for the Argentine newspaper “La Nación,” veteran guard Manu Ginobili made his strongest comments yet about his desire to return for another season with the Spurs.

Ginobili admitted it took him three days after the conclusion of the NBA Finals, a Game 7 loss to the Miami Heat, before he could focus on his future.

Now, he can’t see himself not continuing his Spurs career.

“After much thinking, going over and over the bad plays, I feel better and content in spite of the bad outcome, and I find it difficult to believe that I won’t play anymore,” he wrote in La Nación.

“I don’t feel exhausted or frustrated playing basketball, I mean not enough to say I’m done. I don’t know about everything; I haven’t made a decision, but I see it is unlikely that I will not play anymore.

“I try not to let the tree in front of me block the forest. This is practically an unbeatable situation in sports. A moment of anger and frustration should not cloud the day-to-day and how well I am doing over here.

“… I think they want me here again; but I’m not certain because I still can’t talk to the franchise” under NBA rules.

Popovich’s aide doesn’t get job: Multiple reports that the Denver Nuggets plan to hire Indiana assistant Brian Shaw as coach had a trickle-down effect in San Antonio on Monday.

It means Brett Brown, the Spurs’ only internal candidate to replace the departed Mike Budenholzer as Gregg Popovich’s lead assistant, remains in play.

For now, at least.

A member of Popovich’s staff since 2002, Brown had been one of five coaches to interview for the Nuggets’ vacancy created upon George Karl’s ouster earlier this month.

Brown confirmed the interview in Denver, and his interest in Karl’s old job, in a text message to the Express-News on Monday morning. Then Monday night, Brown confirmed via another text message that he did not get the job, saying “It’s all good.”

Brown also has been linked to a head-coaching opening in Philadelphia, with Yahoo! Sports reporting an imminent interview with the 76ers.

With Budenholzer leaving after the NBA Finals to become coach in Atlanta, Brown has been considered a likely candidate for promotion to Popovich’s lead assistant.

He has been a member of the Spurs’ bench since 2006-07, after spending his first five seasons as a player development coach.

More recently, Brown was coach of the Australian national team, which made the quarterfinals at the 2012 Olympics.

Mills back: Reserve guard Patty Mills has exercised his $1.133 million option to return to the Spurs for a third season in 2013-14, the team announced Monday.

Mills, 24, who played for Brown on the Australian national team, appeared in 58 games and averaged 5.1 points.

Spurs to face Russian squad: International power CKSA Moscow is set to visit the Spurs for an Oct. 9 exhibition game at the AT&T Center.

The game will be played as part of the Euroleague American Tour, a joint effort announced Monday by that league and the NBA. The club won the Russian League this season and was a semifinalist at the European championships.